Determining the loading of a wireless communication link enables a communication system to allocate resources and increase efficiencies in network communication. Typically, the loading of a wireless communication link is determined based on the data requirements of wireless devices in communication with an access node. The wireless devices data requirements are typically based on bearer data transmitted over the communication link. Reliance on bearer data to determine communication link loading provides a suboptimal determination of the true loading of a communication link.
Overview
In operation, a static overhead load, a data traffic load, and a signaling load are determined of a wireless communication link between an access node and at least one wireless device. A wireless communication link load is calculated based on the static overhead load, the data traffic load, and the signaling load, and a load control process is performed when the wireless communication link load meets a load criteria. In an embodiment, the static overhead load, the data traffic load, and the signaling load are determined for a downlink portion of the wireless communication link. In an embodiment, the signaling load comprises a plurality of transport channel load components of the wireless communication link.
In an embodiment, the first communication link load can be compared to a second communication link load comprising a second signaling load of a second wireless communication link when the first signaling load meets a load threshold. The wireless device can be instructed to communicate over the second wireless communication link when the first communication link load is greater than the second communication link load.